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Pull it back together here. Alright. Here's what I got going on the show tonight for you. So we are boy, we're nearing the end of the What I Gain When I Lost My Religion article from time.com. This week, we are talking about

more risk realistic ex oh, no. Sorry. We did more realistic expectations about my life. That was last week. Yep. Yeah. Alright. Here's our final one. Number 11, a greater appreciation for the preciousness of life. Greater appreciation. Okay. As he's round he's rounded out the list with a greater appreciation

for the preciousness of life. And it's the things I gained when I lost my religion. So we'll talk about that. We'll see what we think. I will get some advice on dear life from the path. Get some hey. Buva Buva and I were talking about this before the show started. So talk talk to me about this Monster energy drink business. Oh, alright. So I watched this video, and it's a lady kind of going against the Monster can, the Monster logo, and and it seems like the company in general.

She is explaining to a group of people a lot of different theories about the monster can and their their spiel of of of what they do and all this different stuff. So she starts off with looking at the m on a monster can. So if you look at the graphic of a monster can, I mean, anytime you want to go ahead and do so? The m is supposed to represent from what I know claws. So so three claws making making a mark Yep. Into an m. So her

push for it is that the claws don't connect. So the m doesn't connect anywhere. So she say says that it's not actually an m. She tries to play it that it's I'm not sure what what Hebrew letter character it is, but she says that it's Six. Yeah. So she says that it's it's the Hebrew character for the number six. So she says that it's three sixes, so obviously six six six.

And she's trying to play that as, you know, the whole concept of of the the number of the beast and stuff like that. Right? And then the next piece she talks about is that there is a cross inside of the o on monster. And then she says to herself or to the to crowd, you know, what is a cross doing on a can? Maybe they're a Christian company. And then she talks about the can that she's holding which is in quotations, it's a BFC and I'm not gonna say what it is, but it's big

f word can. And she's saying, well, obviously, that's not a Christian company. And then it's got another expletive on the can that explains in their their deal there, the explanation of the can. So she's saying it's obviously not a Christian company.

Then she goes on to say that she was trying to figure out why a cross is on there. Then she realized that you tip the can up and upside down to drink from it. So that makes the cross go upside down representing the Antichrist is what she's stating. And then the last thing that she talks about is the fact that the slogan for monsters can is unleash the beast. And she comments that she knows of a beast and that beast is represented in Revelation with

the false prophet and the beast. So her big ploy is she's saying that monster

she comments at the end of, you know, just something to think about. But you can obviously tell that she's formulated the thought that it's a Satan plot kind of deal. Like, hey, I'm gonna sneak in under the name monster and I'm gonna bring in, you know, my mark, the six sixty six in the monster. And then I'm gonna have people tip up these cans and make the upside down cross representing the Antichrist and all this different stuff. So I was interested by it and and a little bit discouraged honestly to be to be completely honest with you. But I yeah. What are you guys thoughts on that? Alright. Dan, have had you heard that? I I I yeah. I actually I've I've seen that video myself and watched it and

yeah, you kinda go, isn't that interesting? It's the same of stuff like in the eighties. A lot of the rock bands, know, people like, yeah, if you play their music backwards, it says I love Satan. Or, you know, Kiss is what was that? Something in Satan's service, knights and saving Night and Satan's service. Yeah, yeah, yeah. -And all that stuff in ACDC. Yeah, yeah. And it's like,

I I just don't know what to do with that. I mean, I I don't think a person, like, suddenly becomes satanic if they drink a monster drink or they're not suddenly jumping into Wicca or something and denying Christ or anything like that because they drink that. I would probably look at that as a believer and think, if all those things are really true and even if purely is marketing, I would probably personally avoid it. I wouldn't care if other people, you know, I wouldn't like say, hey, you're not a Christian if you do that, but I would probably personally stay away from it only because

I don't know where my money's going. Like am I funding that? Are they that heavily involved that they're gonna be, like, quote, evangelistic in Satan worship? That's up to them. They can do that if they want, but I don't wanna fund it. Or if it's just a clever marketing ploy, so here we are talking about it tonight. Otherwise, you know, we're not talking about x y z energy drink. We're Right. I mean, or we can embrace the possibility that's

completely untrue. Right. Yeah. Right? Like that that that Christians, as they have been doing for years, centuries likely. Looking for Satan Yeah. Everywhere. Satan's definitely in this band. I think around the corner, the world will end tomorrow, and there's there's got to be clues Like, in the that's what this sniff's like to me. It sniffs like someone who's who's looking for Satan just like Beelzebub used to pop out when you were dancing in 1957.

Look at those kids dancing. Satan's in here somewhere. Like, that's what this that's what it smells like to me. Because it does it doesn't smell like a rational person either reading scripture or digesting the world around them and saying, oh oh, yeah. This is something that we can really pull together, understanding what God has provided. Like, it's completely speculative outside frankly, she's not even using six six six right as far as I'm concerned, biblically. And so,

know Yeah. Like, that's what it smells like to me as a lunatic that's trying to get a grasp on a world that she has no business trying to understand because Jesus said to not worry about it. Right. Right. What I think it is. Yeah. That's that's where I kinda went to also was the concept of I keep envisioning Jesus kinda going through the whole, hey, man. I'm really proud of you for debunking that Satan plan to the monster can. Nice job. Like, I I don't see don't see that really happening. I see him more focusing on, hey, where's your heart at? I I Exactly. Are you kingdom living? When was the last time you went and spoke to somebody about me? Right. More along the lines of that rather than, hey, great job debunking Satan's plan. Now here's I just don't see it. Here's the truth though. You know, when it comes to, you know well, I'm trying to think the best way to say this. It's not funny is what it isn't. Like, there are there are some some companies who like kind of like to toe the edge of that kind of thing. And I don't I don't find it funny. I don't find it cute. I can't I can't give money towards things like that because Yeah. For the reasons like that do I think it's gonna change whether I love Jesus or not? No. But like if someone someone is putting that out and they think it's funny like I just don't any reason to support Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah so so I yeah I would completely And believe he does destroy lives and he's a devourer. Yeah it's not funny. Yeah no yeah it's it's not funny and like it's actually not funny even more given the fact that like you don't understand what you're doing. Like you think it's the you know where they say that the biggest thing success of Satan is to convince people he doesn't exist. Yeah. Or to as he's a caricature of of this this red red horns in the tail and so and then like you know and and it's not

Yeah. And and so yeah I mean I would agree to the extent that that people are kind of diving into that realm and and doing it for a laugh because they think it's good marketing like it's certainly I can't support that. I don't enjoy that. I can't take it lightly. I just can't. Yeah. Yeah. Well, look at the the say the scriptural side, the doctrinal I mean even Christians don't understand the six sixty six thing. Right. You know, so you know, they're looking for someone with a six sixty six tattoo on their forehead when really, okay, as believers we are marked in the spirit. We have things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, living That's in our lifestyle. The lifestyle of one outside of Christ is one of death. Their death and dead in sin is a sinful lifestyle. That's all that's talking about. It's not like some mystery tattoo that some dude in a high government position is gonna have one day and and bringing the world down. It's like it's anything anyone outside of Christ Right. Living in death. And you know, it's actually it it's kind of like, okay. Yeah. You can think about revelation however you want to. We we can be open to how other people think about it except for like They can be wrong. Except yeah. Except for how people look at that six six six like, completely betrays that you understand how Christ works at all. Yeah. Like, I can believe in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for me, for my sins, but I accidentally got stamped with something or barcoded and now it's like, I my the cross stops here. Right. I have no power over this bulk I'm supposed of to be the antichrist. I drink a can and that means that that the sacrifice that Jesus made was completely null and void at that point in time. Yeah. My brains kinda fall out when it comes to that issue. Yeah. Exactly. It it's it comes back to your priorities of of what you're reading and what you're really taking from from what God's trying to tell us. And I said this to Ben a little bit before the show of like, how many times is Satan referenced in the Bible? It's not many. I don't know the specific number but It's nothing. Less than 10. I know that. I mean, it's it's just ridiculous versus all of the the hundreds of pages and the chapters of, hey, man, guess what? Somebody's coming. And then, hey, man, this somebody's here. His name's Jesus. And then, hey, man, look back. That Jesus guy was awesome. Live by him. Love him. Live by his words. That that's the bulk of it. It's Yeah. He's coming. He's here. He's there. And he's coming again. Yeah. Yeah. And you know what's interesting about even even if when you think about

how some, you know, Wicca or or Satanist Satanic organizations or whatever, like, they're even they are treating Christianity as if it is as

as false and like just as symbolic as whatever it is that they're doing. Right? Yeah. Like upside down cross, does that really mean anything to Jesus? Like he he left it. He died on it and then he left it there. He's not carrying around still. He's not he doesn't wear it on his on his lapel. You know, like, he's we follow Jesus. And like, here's I I get and I revere the cross. Right? But I the only reason I revere a cross is because of who died on it. So like, your upside down cross means nothing to me. Yeah. Absolutely nothing. And so to put that much power into the symbol Right. Of that, like, they do that because that's all they have. Right. It's something that some sort of, you know, thumbs down anarchy against what Christ But like, it that the cross isn't Jesus. And so like, there isn't any power in that. It's Jesus is the power. He's God. And so, like, even those types of things, I'm like, okay. Yeah. Like, Jesus, I don't he don't care.

It seems irrelevant. Let me ask this. And this is more from perspective. I wanna make sure I'm I'm right on this, and I I may be wrong. But so the whole Upside Down Cross thing, did that that was that the whole Peter thing where he said that he wasn't worthy to be to be killed in the way that Jesus was? Am I totally wrong on that? No. No. That happened to Peter. And that was and they so they flipped the cross upside down and and crucified him upside down. Right? Is that where that originates from? I can't imagine. It seems like a bad reference for your for satanism. Yeah. I don't know. I don't Exactly. I don't know. A servant of Jesus says, I'm not worthy enough and we go, yeah. That's totally anti Jesus. It's like, no, that was that was him being, hey, I'm not worthy enough to even be killed in the way that my savior was.

I I wanna it'd be inflicted in a different way. I mean, that's that's not really against Jesus. That's that's pretty pro Jesus right there. Like, that's someone seriously having some reference for what he did. Yeah. I just I don't know enough about it. Right. Exactly. Yeah. I just I'm I feel like they're ill informed about Christian history, though. You feel like someone would have checked for that. Hey, let's do the upside down cross. I'll crap Peter snagged it. Dang you, Peter. Now this, come on. We're running out of stuff. We could do it to the side, but it kinda looks like a like a gun or Yeah. I don't know if it's gonna stay up very easily that way. Oh, man. We probably shouldn't joke about this. Alright. Alright. Well, anyway. Yeah. So that interesting.

Obviously, if you hear something like that, don't immediately go. Yeah, that's definitely fact. Put put some think into it and and maybe read your Bible a little bit and think what's Jesus is hard really on all this kind of stuff. Yeah. Know what the big question is? It's like is is whatever this is that people are talking about, is it worth your energy? No. Like of the things that of things that God has going on in the world and the and kingdom moving, is it worth your energy to to create the YouTube videos? Is it worth your energy to set up a couple forums to talk to some people to get upset to write some letters to start a website? Like is that what's worth your time? Yeah. Exactly. I I just see the church going back and and and looking at it and from the perspective of, you know, you could have spent the money and time that you did that truly affecting someone's life and honestly doing something, which is what we're called to do.

It's not really in there. Jesus says, hey, man. Make sure that you're thwarting the plans of Satan and and doing everything you can to debunk his marketing schemes. That's not in there. Jesus talks more about what you can do for your fellow man and and take care of of his children and and all these different ways and and love him and serve him, not not even focus on Satan. I mean, it's not there. Yeah. That's like back back in the eighties when the the big backmasking thing was going on. They would play the music backwards and said there were secret messages

and stuff in in the in the the music. And I remember at the time thinking, that's really clever and it's interesting and and everything, but it didn't I I didn't like a dent that didn't grab me. I I was more and and what they did is they had these rallies and people bringing, you know, hundreds of dollars with the albums and CDs and they'd burn them and stuff. Like, we're we're really defeating Satan. And I always thought, how about if we just talk about the words you can hear? The the some of those are just, you know, playing a lifestyle outside of Christ. Yeah. Right. That spoke to me. That's that's that's when I switched what kind of stuff I listened to was Yeah. What what I could understand and hear. And and at the you know, we do have a way of just kind of being weird, think, sometimes in in the Christian community about getting caught up on on things that that Right.

You know, subliminal messages. Oh, no. It might say something to you in your sleep. Exactly. Yeah. We could take this acronym differently and it could possibly have something to do with something against Jesus. It's like or or you could honestly spend time talking to people and spending time in their lives trying to figure out how you can be more of a kingdom liver. And that and I suppose that's the deal. Right? It's like, where we get caught up in in in discussions like that, like, it continues to betray that we don't understand how Jesus works. Yeah. Yeah. Like, like, like, if I if I if I caught a subliminal message or some sort of, I don't know, scent of oak or whatever it is that worst I worship Satan. And like, if I take a whiff of that or if I hear this accidentally, then all of a sudden Jesus didn't die on the cross and I'm not. Like, I don't I just don't I don't get that thinking and it really the root of it is is is very is moralistic and bad theology. That says, we need to stop all bad things that happen in the world so that Jesus may shine. And sir, you have that backwards. Exactly. You have that directly backwards. This is not your responsibility. But, like, we we get on a high horse of that thing, and we try to squash stuff like this. And and and it's fighting the wrong battle. And and here's the deal. I'm trying to take this in the context of what we're talking about here. But, like, Satan is kind of the the the entity that threw off the world. Right? Caused the world to fall.

I feel like you're not giving him enough credit if he's resorted to the can of the energy drink as his only tactic to get people not to love Jesus. Exactly. Yeah. I I you know, it's we like we might be underestimating, I don't know, the shrewdness of the enemy If he's like, you know, I don't know if this will help, but maybe they know Hebrew.

And maybe they get the six six six reference because they do study the Bible, they just don't believe in it. And maybe if they drink this, they'll think, I'm already halfway there. I might as well abandon the faith. Right. Exactly. Yeah. What I gained when I lost my religion, more access to energy drinks because it's a problem. Article 12. Alright. Anyway, drink what you want. I it's worth sniffing stuff out though, you know. Yeah. Yeah. It is. It is The heart I wouldn't even say the heart of it, but the the base of it that, yes, we should spend some time making sure that we're we're checking things like this and and making sure that we're not being led astray and all the good stuff. That is good. But branching out from there, it kind of starts getting heavy. Wait. And the question is like, what what what can it influence in your life? Like, is there a magical quality to drinking an energy drink that can cause me not to live Jesus? No. You could write anything you want on that energy can, and it's not gonna do anything with my relationship with Christ. Do you watch what you read? Do you watch what you you know, the the type of situations that you put yourself in? The type of movies you watch? Those have a a much higher possibility

of negatively influencing how you think. Those are communication mediums that try to draw you and think in different ways. We are not careful a lot of times on the type of stuff that we're digesting Mhmm. In that way. So let's leave the energy can alone and maybe just keep an eye on how what you're bringing in your mind through, how do I think? How do I understand? What did I learn in school today? Things of this nature. Alright. Time.com. What I gained when I lost my religion, we are this is number 11.

And the the last thing he ends with ends with is this. I gained a greater appreciation for the preciousness of life. Once you realize this life is the only one you're gonna get, you learn to appreciate each day in a way you never could when you believe there would be trillions more in your future. I found that belief in eternity only lowered my evaluation of daily life, and it cheapened life in a way. But once you realize this one short life is all you're going to get, you'll find it easier to throw yourself into what you do, knowing that you need to make the most of it that you can. You won't minimize the suffering of others or of yourself by saying that life will get better after you die. You might even be more motivated to be an agent of change in the world once you realize someone's not going to come in and magically reboot the whole thing one day. It's up to us to make the most of our one life that we can, and I find that a disbelief in the supernatural has helped me do that.

Thoughts? It's coming from the wrong place again. It's killing me, man. If your thought process is solely based on the physical reward that you get here in this life, this makes plenty of sense. It really does. And

that doesn't make sense to me because someone that's that's reading their bible and living truly living in the kingdom and living for God and and doing everything they can to affect God's people here on Earth. I don't think it really says anything about don't do anything here because there's reward in heaven.

God talks about the fact that we have work to do here. It's not you have no work to do here because you have eternal life. It's you have work here because of that eternal life. You have things that you have to do here to to truly have have, you know, the concept of knowing life is precious here on this earth because this is the one shot we get

at truly being in a relationship with Christ and loving God and being in the kingdom. If you take it from that perspective, it's no longer this life is meaningless, It's this life is meaningful because there's another one waiting. What I do here means more than I could ever even imagine because of the reward that's waiting for me.

So it's from another perspective that that he really didn't understand his faith. He didn't understand what he was buying into. He wasn't truly getting the the kingdom of God because Jesus is talking about the fact that you you are with your brothers here and you're with your sisters here and you love on them. You take care of the poor. You take care of the fatherless. You take care of the widowed. You take care of all these people because you've got another life. Not don't worry about the sixty seventy eighty ninety years that you're here because I've got a better life. It's you've got stuff here to do and I can't wait to see you. Now here's the deal is that I I actually think the church has contributed to a lot of this. And I agree. Like, we very much have contributed to the thought process that says, you know, wait it out. It's alright. I know things are crappy here. There's there's the Satan monster cans that are out there. And like

Nice. All you gotta do is love Jesus and and get dunked because now you're saved. Now hang tight. Right. Yeah. Hang tight. Wait it out. Hang on, kitty. Come soon, Lord Jesus. Now here's the deal. It's like, yes. Yes. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. I'm all Absolutely. For However,

not for the reasons that you're thinking. Right. Right? Like, he's not saying, come quickly, Lord Jesus, so that you can bail me out. Like, he's restoring humanity. He's restoring the creation that you're in. He's restoring all the relationships that were broken. And and, like, that work has already begun. He has already started the process of those things. It will be complete when Jesus comes back. We are part of that work. And the thought process that says, we don't have to worry about the life that we live right now because it will all end someday, and then everything even the the term reboot isn't thinking of things correctly. He is restoring creation, and it is it is in that process already. And so I think Christianity has sometimes caused that problem because we we basically push everything off and say, just wait till Jesus comes back. Things will be fixed as if that that simply ignores the context from when Jesus was speaking, especially at the creation and institution of his kingdom. If that reflects a current time, a reality in which we are living right now for that kingdom. And and we have done a disservice by saying

things that go on right now are not important. And I think I think to a certain extent, that hasn't had an impact to people who don't believe in Jesus because if if they don't believe in God as it sits and they don't believe in a concept of a God and an afterlife, you've devalued absolutely everything about their existence. It's the same thing when people live lifestyles that are opposite of what God wants. Right? Like if you start off with with saying basically everything you think and believe is completely worthless. Like like, there it's pretty difficult to tell a story of Jesus in that picture. Because the truth is is God can look at their life and and he looks at ways to redeem it. He doesn't say, I'm chucking everything. Everything about that man sucks. He looks and says, that guy's redeemable. That world can be transformed. And so when we start a conversation that basically says, yeah, boy, this life sucks. I can't wait till Jesus comes back and you'll be gone.

You know, like, that that's not the premise that Jesus is even starting from. But that's that's what we do, and we we do it wrongly. We do it as like a consolation to all the all the trouble that's here. It's one of the things he's ignoring. But but yeah, I think that's how we get in that position where where people misunderstand what it is that ultimately Jesus is calling us from and to and it is not just like a bail out of this place. Right. Yeah. I know. I know. I've done that. I I've been the guy who says, hey, like, fortunately for us, life is a vapor.

You know, in in times of great persecution and pain, you know, this isn't gonna last forever. The the time will come, you know, your your life will end, whatever the situation is Which can be comforting. Pardon me. Which can be comforting. It is Yeah, it can be comforting. But yeah, if that's your whole life thinking, Oh, I can't wait for this life to be over, yeah, you're missing something for sure. And that's why I was kind of As you were reading his thing, was somewhat

identifying I mean, I get where he's coming from. When my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, I knew there

I mean, there's always a limit to everyone's life anyway on earth but then I knew, okay, we're on the countdown and I would go to her and I would visit her and every time I left, I thoroughly appreciated every visit thinking this is the best it will ever be. I mean, I consciously thought that each conversation I had with her and it was, each time was a little less, you know, and I think that's what he's saying. Since he believes life just ends, there's no eternity,

then he is appreciating every moment and it is kind of convicting for me as a believer, think, but why aren't I appreciating even in pain, even in suffering, even in the stuff of life, appreciate every breath you have to live as Christ to die is gain. I get a I win both ways. Yeah, right. You know, absolutely. Like you say, eternity has already started. The kingdom is already here. Let's live it. Let's do it no matter what's going on in our life. Yeah. Yeah, so he's half right. Yeah. Yeah. He just misses the fact that you know, because he's denied God now, he misses the part that it continues that to live is well to live. And

the die is over to him. Right. That's kinda that that is sad. That is sad. I I I'm This is an this is another one where where I I'm happy for him in the concept that that, like, he's living life and and enjoying himself. But I I mean, not from the perspective of, like, he's still missing out on on what Jesus is really calling for us to do. I I mean, it's the whole, you know, well, life is this life is a waiting room kind of deal. It's like, no, it's not. No, it's not. No, it's not. You're not in a waiting room. You're not in a place where you're sitting down waiting for Jesus. You're in a place where you're at the construction site and you're getting stuff done and waiting for boss to come and relieve you. Like, that's that's what this is. This isn't like passive.

Hey, man. This is this this time period where I have to be a generally good person and make sure I don't murder anybody and I'm gonna be great. Like, that's that's not what Jesus is calling us to live. Right. And and it just kills me that that I mean, people can open that book and and truly try and get from the heart of God what it is and get, you know, life is a waiting room. And I'm just like, no. You're you're you're so far from what Jesus wants for you here. Like, you're not called to be bored for ninety years and then have an eternity of happiness. Like, that's I'm sorry. That sounds lame. Then I get to float on a cloud in a Exactly. I I get to go to the McDouble buffet in ninety years. I'm super excited about this. It's no. Jesus called you to do work in his kingdom, which is here. It's not some faraway place. It's here. Do the work. Live in the kingdom for the sake of, guess what? You transition to being back living in the kingdom.

Yeah, right. You're just in the kingdom in a different way. You live here in this body, in this place, and you do work for the kingdom, and you're living here, and then you die, and hopefully you've done well, and Christ just grabs you and goes, hey, welcome back to the kingdom. You're still in it. Yeah. And and that's the thing. He's he's kind of he's approached this in a very one-sided way. He says, once you realize this one short life is all you're going to get, you will it easier to throw yourself into what you do knowing that you need to make the most of it you can. Now here's the thing. It's like a lot of times when it is most comforting to know that that that life is a vapor is when you have no ability to throw yourself into what you do. Mhmm. You know I'm saying? Like like you've you've hit some some rough circumstances

or so things have happened around you and it is a consolation to know that this this will this as well will be transformed. Now, sometimes we do live that too much. Know, a guy's got forty years to go and and and we've kind of put him on the exit train. Yeah, I know your wife died young. Don't worry. The you know, Jesus will transform the place and you'll see her again. Like, I mean, I get it. Yeah. But but we we have framed that incorrectly. That's not instant satisfaction you're Your gonna be hope started already. It didn't start forty years from now. But, you know, it's easy it's easy for my guy coming from his perspective to be like, you know, I don't need this promise of of another life. I I'm I I write for time.com. You know, I I seem to be satisfied with my life. I've achieved the earthly gains that otherwise

people may aspire to. And so, you know, talk go go find a guy in the street and talk to him about that. Go go find, you you know, like, some of these people who are living with with diseases that will get worse and worse and worse. And you talk to them about jumping in into the things that otherwise make them happy and the things that they do. And and you tell me there's no hope in saying, I know what you're going through. Jesus has got this. And so, you know, it there's a little bit of a blindness there in in in representing the fact that, like,

the world isn't all roses. It isn't all what you make it. Like, you can't control there's something you simply cannot control. And and knowing that it is ultimately in in someone else's hands that you can trust, that is a positive thing. But the other thing he said was you won't minimize the suffering of others or yourself by saying that life will get better after you would you die. You might even be more motivated to be an agent of change in the world once you realize someone's not going to come in and magically reboot the whole thing. And I thought, like, there's nothing that makes me more motivated to be an agent of change. Yeah. Except to know that Jesus is ultimately transforming this joint, and I want everybody I know to be part of Exactly. Yeah. That's and I completely agree with that. With the agent of change portion, you are you are here doing work for for Christ and for the kingdom in people's in people's hearts, and you're you're talking to people about the the dude that that owns it all, that that is living it all, that that is is the king of all of this. And and you're supposed to say that not believing in that means you're gonna do better in life. I don't know what better news you're gonna bring somebody other than, hey, know, yeah, there's a lot of pain here that yeah, there's a lot of suffering. But guess what? I know the dude who bought it all at a price, and I know the guy who died for all of us. And it was so that we can have the joy that you want so badly. And yes, you're affected by this here, but let me tell you who Jesus is. Let me talk to you about who the Christ is and and and most importantly, that piece.

That just doesn't make sense to me about how losing that means that you're gonna be more of an agent of change. Yeah. I'm gonna go back to mundane, hey, this is it. And that makes me wanna talk to you about happiness more by saying in ninety years, you're gonna be in the dirt. And then that's all you've got. Yeah. I I don't get where that's the better option. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Interesting. Okay. Well, here's the deal. That's it. That's our list. Any any any broad reactions to our man on his 11 his 11 points? What I gained when I lost my religion? I'm seeing a a a common denominator with these lists of, man, they start out with some seriously strong thought provoking points that are really just, you know, I completely understand where you're coming from kind of points. It's just like, you know, I've struggled with that or I've thought about that before. And then I feel like they should really, like, dwindle down in the list because by normally four or five, that's when it starts going down a little bit. And it's just like, yeah, man. Jesus doesn't like Cheez Whiz and we're not super excited about that. Like, that's

your list. With the 50 truths about that God's not real. Yeah. That guy was solid for what? Maybe 10? 10. Yeah. 10 tops. So 20% in. And then after a while, it's just like, I'm pretty sure you said that four times ago. And then, hey, man, that doesn't even make sense scientifically kind of deal. I feel like this guy kind of did the same thing. Maybe four in, we started going,

like, really kind of deal. I think he did a fairly good job of setting up the fact that religion is empty and meaningless. Yeah. I think he was sincere. He sincerely had a religion going on and a religious experience

with God rather than a true relationship and and and really digging in and and knowing what it meant means to be a kingdom person And I wish he would explore that a little bit. Yeah. You know, beyond the checklist of the things that But it sounds like he even went to a solid church. A lot of the stuff he talks about is solid stuff. And maybe it is symptoms of some relationship going on.

But it replaced doing them as relationship. And and so he never really got to know Yeah. His savior. Yeah. And and I think I I think I said this after the first one, and I would reiterate it here simply because I think it otherwise cast the whole thing correctly. If you go to that time.com article and you do a control find and you type in Jesus, he's nowhere to be found in the list. Yeah. Like this this is very much about him being part of a of a social group program that that either either was either missing Jesus or he subscribed to the things that weren't Jesus and disassociated from it and then, you know, got upset because there's better options for social groups. And, you know, I like, without Jesus, yeah, I can think of funner things to do. So, you know but because this is where Jesus is, it it makes it the thing that's going around. And so, you know, I I think, like, ultimately,

within whatever he got caught up in religion, He doesn't really seem to me as a guy that caught up that got caught up following Jesus and then got disenfranchised. He got caught up, you know, in a religion and then Yeah. Got Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. These are his 11 issues with with the church that he went to rather than the 11 issues he has with with who Jesus is and what he's offering. This is more along the lines of, hey, here are the mechanics that I don't like. Yeah. Yeah. And I I don't know. I mean, who doesn't have that? Yeah. I know I definitely run into that on many occasions. He's here's the mechanics I don't like. Well, okay. Dive into your bible and find out where it's really coming from. Yeah. Mean some of these actually, here, we may be giving too much credit towards the end here. Some of these are just straight up stupid. Like, some of these are dumb. Yeah. The the better getting my Sunday mornings back, better friends, better sex, like better health. Come on. You know, like, these are you're just you're not balancing your life correctly. And you've misattributed other problems that you got going on as if the church was to blame. Right. And here's the deal, the church has got enough going on. We've misrepresented Christ in a number of ways, even when we're trying to get it right. We post the videos about the monster can. Right. And so, like, I mean, we got enough of our own problems without you trying to sack us with a bunch of crap that we actually We didn't already got issues. That's right. I mean, if you're not if you're not getting off your lazy butt and going for a jog,

I mean, that's not the church's fault, like The church made me eat handballs. No, they didn't. I mean, there's a reason they hire a third rate guy to do Good Morning America Sunday morning. He's not that appealing. They know you're supposed to be running. Get off your butt, go do that, and then go to church and this won't be a problem for you. Alright. Anyway, if you wanna wanna check that out, go to time.com. Just do a search for what I gained when I lost my religion, and you can see how we've responded on all all 11 by going to lifeonthepath.org, watching the archive shows. I put I got some clips up there. I think the one on the health and one on Jesus Ruined My Sex Life, those are both out there. You can watch those separately. Otherwise, you can go check out the full shows and and find out more about that. Also, real quick, a big shout out to our sponsors, the Eisenhower team. Go to the Eisenhower team or excuse me, eisenhowerteam.com

for all your real estate needs, buying, selling, looking around. Maybe you just wanna know how much you think your neighbor's house is worth to see if his pumpacity is is well placed. I feel like Bob can help you with that. So go contact the Eisenhower team. It's eisenhowerteam.com. Bill, Bob, and John Eisenhower can can help you out with that. They're great guys. Been on the show a few times. They've done they handle my real estate stuff because, you know, I do a lot of real estate work.

Hey, man. Once I start doing real estate work, they will handle my real estate work. They're the right guys. Here, all honesty, guys. They're they're they're great to work with. Their their slogan is easy to work with, hard to beat, and that's just straight up true. So get a hold of those guys. Also, Westfield Veterinary Hospital. Go to westfieldvethospital.com here in Johnston, and that you can go to them. You know, as as weather starts to get cold

I don't know about I don't know if you guys are running this if well, Dan, you have a dog. So, like, when it gets cold out, I start noticing my my my oldest dog or, actually, it's my youngest dog creaking around a lot more. Like, don't know if the weather's jacking with her joints or what. But she and we we've noticed that she's not moving around as easy. We had to get some some medication to kinda help her with that with her joints and stuff because she's getting old. And here's the deal. The dog's going outside. It's cold to be out there doing their work. So two things. First of all, take care of your animals. Right? Like, if you don't if you don't wanna let it in when it's cold, don't get an animal.

Second of all, you know, if you wanna get it a coat, you wanna get it some stuff because it's having problems with the joints, you need to get a a winter checkup because you missed the fall checkup, Westfield Vet Hospital is the way to go. So go to westfieldvethospital.com. You can set up an appointment online,

or just visit them in their office here in Johnston, and, those guys are also awesome to work with. That's why I take my dogs there and why I'm proud to have those guys sponsoring the show. So those are our those two sponsors. Give them some love. Give them a phone call. Send them an email. Knock on their door. Write it on your belly button. Do whatever you gotta do and say, hey. Thanks for sponsoring Life From The Path. We really do appreciate it. What you got, booba? I I just can't respond to write it on your belly button. That was weird. Why? What I don't feel like I need to explain why that was weird, man. Do you really need an explanation as to why write how much you enjoy

a place sponsoring live from the path on your belly button. Hey, man. This is the day of the Internet. If if you're not gonna do something special, might as well get off the pot. Alright. Fair enough. I guess I'm gonna start writing messages on my belly button. Okay. Gotta live life. Go ahead. Double cheeseburgers. Okay. I got Dear Life from the Path. I I agree. Go ahead. I got good stuff. Give me a second. I'm pulling it up. I didn't realize that what he got, Buba, was was you saying, hey, man. Here's the deal. When I when I talk to you about doing advice on Dear Life from the Path, I expect you to have those just like your pants up all the time. Hey, man. Give me a second. Don't judge me.

A belly button writer. Hey, actually, so while he's doing that, just a heads up. So the guys from Unseen Patrol who are friends of the show are doing a Kickstarter. They're they're trying to raise money to do an album, and I would very much encourage you to go out and and hook up with that. They here's the deal. I love these Kickstarters because

I I don't if you make sure you guys are familiar with it. Right? You go to kickstarter.com, and basically, you have a way to kinda get on with people that are trying to raise money to do certain things. Maybe it's to to pull off an event. There was a guy that was producing that that bible from the ASV that doesn't have any chapter or verse divisions or whatever. He developed a font for it. It looked it was pretty cool looking. There's all kinds of really cool stuff under Kickstarter, and you can get it on things for 5 or $10.

Just to to be a part of something of an idea that someone has, and they're not getting corporate funding. They're they're crowdsourcing it. And so it's it's a very popular thing for bands too, though, because there's especially Christian bands, they have a hard time getting funding. Like, it's I I don't know if you guys I don't know how often you you go to a Christian show or go see these bands, but, that's it's a hard world. It's a hard world out for those guys because because frankly, they're telling the story of Jesus. Everybody expects it to be free. They gotta drive places. They gotta buy instruments. They they carry all the expenses of a major touring band and and place, you know, like, a hundredth of the money. And so for them to be able to produce music is very difficult. And so a lot of times what they do is they they can lean on these Kickstarters to kinda raise money and then get you CDs and T shirts. Jess Anderson did a did a Kickstarter that we were part of, and Unseen Patrol's doing one. So here's what I'd what I'd tell you guys is if you wanna help those guys continue to do the work that they do, sometimes you can't make it out to the shows, sometimes buying the CDs, you know, all online and stuff. You know, maybe that's your deal, maybe it's not. But if you get on on board with these Kickstarters, you can really help those guys do the stuff that they need to do to keep going.

And maybe it's releasing an album, maybe it's getting a van, maybe it's, you know, railing up to get some merchandise, whatever. You can be a part of that. Unseen Patrol, we've had in the studio. Those guys actually came here and played at the church. They were great. And so I would really encourage you to to be a part of that. And just I don't know. Sign up for Kickstarter. Just keep an eye on what's out what's out there and be part of that. There's a guy that was doing you could be part of the Kickstarter to fund the development of a three d printer, like a commercial Yeah. Three d printer. I don't think you could for get into it for, like, a couple $100. I I I don't know. It's it's just a lot of fun. There's lot of cool things that people are doing, and I'd I'd highly recommend that you be a part of that.

Hey, man. Yeah. Here's the deal. You made it seem like I was, like, a good four solid minutes behind being ready. Like, I was, like, touch screen ready. Uh-huh. And you just made it seem like I was really unprepared. I'm just throwing that out. Okay. Fair enough. Alright. Dear Life of the Path. My husband and I are pregnant with our first child. We are beyond excited and can't wait for our little one to get here. Our problem, my mother-in-law is getting married two weeks after our baby is supposed to arrive, and she's expecting all of us to go.

While I'm happy she found someone she wants to spend her life with, I will not be there and neither will our child. I have told my husband this and explained my concerns, but I will support him if he decides to go since it's his mother. How can I turn her down in a polite way so it doesn't sound like I'm a horrible daughter-in-law? First time mama. What? The wedding's two weeks after their baby So is so they got a due date for the baby,

And the mother in law's wedding is two weeks after the baby's due. Okay. And she's saying, How do I tell my mother-in-law I'm not coming? Well, I think you don't decide yet. You tell her, Well, we'd sure love to come, but there's a good possibility we can't. Yeah. We don't know when the baby will be born or what the health will be or what the travel conditions will be for our child. So don't RSVP to the wedding? Say it's Yeah, a

for a baby. Yeah, agree. That seems completely ridiculous. Or Is she does she I mean, does it sound to you like she's offended that this woman is getting married within two weeks of the due date of the baby? I don't know about that. Because that's what it sounds like to me. Really? Yeah. Let's see here. Our problem, my mother-in-law is getting married two weeks. Oh, I just guess that's Not pretty a problem. I was gonna say that is pretty matter of fact What happened? But it's our problem. Doesn't she realize Okay. This life centers around me, not you? How dare you place your wedding near the birth of my child? Here's the deal, did you call your mother-in-law and tell her every time you and your husband were having sex so that she could say, well, they might have a baby nine months from now. Maybe I should push this date out. I'm gonna guess nine and a half. Oh, August doesn't work for me. Unless you did that, I feel like your indignation is unwarranted.

Alright. So firm maybe and And and I Stop thinking that you're the center of the universe. Yeah. And I would say that, like, I mean, there's there's some timing issues, right? Like, if they go late and the baby's born and the the wedding's within two days, I could see the husband not going. But other than that, like, I don't know. I would assume he if it's too let's I would say you've got a, I don't know, scheduled c section or something. Two weeks later

Yeah. Come on. Let him go to the wedding. Alright. Fair enough. Dear first time mama, unless a woman is having a c section, babies don't always arrive on the expected due date. Sometimes they can be awake late or more. If you feel you need time to rest, recuperate, get your child on a regular nursing schedule, tell that to your mother-in-law. As a new mother, you're going to have to quickly learn to prioritize, and your child's well-being and your health must come first. Expect her to be disappointed, but make clear that you love her and wish her a lifetime of happiness, which you will be unable to attend.

That seems kind of passive. Like, hey, mom. Sorry. Well, I mean, I want okay. Alright. So here's here's here's the truth. Like, for as a first time mom,

she doesn't know maybe she doesn't know what to expect. Right? Like Right. Right. That's fair. Because I got Yeah. Mean, I was just thinking like, maybe maybe we would've I don't know how long I was was thinking out, like, we've had two kids and I think two weeks. Oh, yeah. We could we'd be out of house. Yeah. I mean, we were I think we were we because we had our kids at at home. So like I mean, there are people that are placed within like four or five hours. I was out. I went and paid the water bill. I mean, you know, stuff is happening. Who is on this water? Crap. Water bill. Actually, we so we did a okay. We're check this out. So we're we're kinda like the we're the creepy people. So we did a we did a home birth and we did it in like a it was a water birth. And so it was we just moved into this house because we were gonna have another kid. And so I I I had the tub there and I went to go fill it up because my wife called and said, hey, you know, stuff is happening. Gotta get the get the tub ready. And I go to turn the water and the water won't come on. Oh, no. And I'm like, what the heck?

And so we like I said, we just moved in and so what had happened was is we hadn't got a water bill. But apparently, the water bill was like two months behind because the people that had moved out before hadn't been paying it. And so like that that day, they had come and shut the water off. Oh, I feel like I'm in a real pickle here, boys. And so so I called the water department, man. I kinda I said, look, man. I will be there, you know, 8AM sharp. Whatever it takes, I will be there to pay this water bill. I need you to turn the water on tonight for me. And so, you know, we kinda talked through it. The guy was he came out and he he turned it on. So that the other problem was though is because they shut the water off,

like, I didn't have any hot water in the hot water heater Yeah. Anymore. Yeah. Because, like, I had taken a shower at at earlier in that morning, and then they shut off during the day and hadn't refilled and everything. And so, like, I was heating up water on the stove and stuff trying to keep this thing warmed up. It was it was kind of a disaster. Oh. It was a disaster. Wow. Anyway. Holy cow. Alright.

Dear lie for the path. I'm a 50 year old man in a relationship with a woman who is 42. She says I need to trade in my briefs for boxer shorts because they are outdated and nobody wears those anymore, in quotations. Wait. He's wearing a tighty whities. Is that what? Yes. Okay. Okay. Go ahead. She also told me only nine year old boys wear tighty whities, and they are a turn off. Well, I see that. Okay. I've always worn fly front briefs.

I don't like boxers because I find them uncomfortable. Oh, I better make sure this isn't getting graphic. What can I do to fix this problem? She will not look at it from my perspective. Here's the name, likes it brief in Florida. Okay.

Alright. So here's Thoughts, boys. Here's the deal. Here's what I'm thinking. This is an issue in someone's household. Yeah. So

I'm trying to keep this clean here. So yeah. Get figure it out. Like, on some boxer briefs. I put on the boxer briefs. There you go. Meet her halfway. Meet her that's the reason boxer briefs were invented Yeah. Was to meet halfway across problem right here. Yeah. Yeah. She's right about the tighty whities. And I I I hear what you're saying. Right? But like, if you've brought a woman in, a special lady in your life who says, you know what? I don't find that appealing and she will find you more attractive. I mean, you gotta do what you can. That's a good point. The clock's ticking, boys. You're you're 50. You know, if that if that's what does it for her, get get some boxies. Put some boxies on. I suppose that's true. If I'm in a relationship and the gal is saying, hey, man, those jeans are ridiculous. You should never wear them again because I think they're stupid. And I go, No. I'm I'm always gonna wear these jeans and I'm never buying jeans you want. I'm being kind of childish. Yeah. I But I like these comfortable jeans. Yeah. I mean, here's the deal. Like, if you struck the right cord, the the lady of your life will be like, I really hate it. I don't like when he wears that stuff, but I don't really put up a business about it. Yeah. She seems to like it. But that, you know, there have been times my wife put her foot down and said, you are not wearing that stuff. And I said, oh, well. Yeah.

What would you like me to put on? I'll do it. I'm going from the perspective that they're obviously married because she's seen his underwear. Thumbs up. Obviously. Thumbs up. Definitely.

So you're married. You guys, you know, sometimes you meet in the middle and you need to, you know I like the boxer brief idea. Okay. All right. This is this is Sekul's response.

Really? If you allow this woman to dictate what kind of underwear you wear now, she'll be wearing the pants your entire relationship if you stay with her. Tell her once and for all that if wearing boxers is so important to her, she should buy herself a repair. Come on. Come on. First of all, yeah, that's yeah, that's bad advice. That's bad advice. Here's the deal. I failed at this earlier in my marriage and and just I fail on it less, but still continuously at this point. But there there are things that I put my foot on the foot down about that were asinine.

They were ridiculous things to argue with my wife about. And here's the deal, like, based upon the lady that that I I have secured for my life, I have no reason not to trust her when she says, hey, that looks dumb. And I should say as opposed to say, well, no, I like it. I should say, nope. Nope. I whatever. What would you like me to change? I'm willing to do it. Whatever it takes, I will do it. Cut my hair differently, you got it. But but this is this is different. I mean, is generally speaking, people don't know what kind of underwear you wear. This is this is totally, I don't like you wearing that underwear. I can't even, you know, I mean, that's kind of a personal thing, what underwear you wear. How often is she seeing it? Like, I mean, if it's just before the time in which she would otherwise be seeing it and she doesn't find them appealing, swap them out. Get yourself a couple gold lace pairs of of boxies. Wear wear your tights all day, and then you come home to your lady. You act like you're gonna go to go take a whiz or whatever. You switch into your gold lace and you say, these are for you. I've done this for you. There. There you go. Live your life. I mean, unless she's gonna, like, call in midway through the day and check it in on you and say, you got the lights on. Send me a picture. I'm like

That's creepy. I It is creepy. That's worth the step. Do whatever you have to do to accommodate this woman. Fake your way till you make it or side with the box of briskets. You'll get used to it. Here's the deal. The guy's been wearing whites forever, right? So he's he's like, this is what I'm used to. And I get it. You're fifty years in. You don't wanna change your ways. Yeah. It's the time before Internet too there, buddy. Yeah. Like, time has moved on. You're still not wearing Bilbao. So, you know Sanford and Son is over. Do they still sell Tiny Whities? Well, obviously, yeah.

Yeah. Really? Yeah. They do. Say, it's been, I think, decades since I've purchased the I've I know, I've never walked it's been a while, right, since I walked down the aisle to buy I actually bought I bought boxies the like, three, four months ago and it never occurred to me to walk down the Undie aisle and be like, hey, man, do they have still have whites available? Maybe I'll Yeah. Get I think my bo my mom bought me a pack once when I was like 13 and I literally got upset. I was like, mom, this is the stupidest thing you've ever done for me. Get this out of my face right now and throw I it back at kinda wanna talk to this guy. I'm interested in why he loves Yeah. Like, what about boxers? Is I mean, I'll get there's some support issues with boxers, right? So, but your boxer briefs, there's yeah, it's a still on the radio station. Safe thing. Yeah. Yeah. I love This seems fine. All right. I'll do the boxer briefs. Yeah. All right. We got one more? Go. We got time. Go ahead. Okay.

Alright. Dear Life of the Path. My four girls and I recently moved from Texas to Florida to help out my in laws. My husband, Jeff, in quotations, made a big deal about not wanting to move without a job, so he stayed behind. Now I feel like a single parent, and even though I hide it from my daughters, I am depressed. I haven't been able to find work, and Jeff says he doesn't want to come here for several more months.

My husband and I have been together for fourteen years, and this is tearing me up inside. He seems to be treating this issue as a joke. I suspect he likes not having the responsibility of a wife and kids. Our youngest is six months old and she's growing up without her daddy. Please help me figure this out. Lonely and depressed. That guy's a buffoon. Yes, he is. They both are. They did not communicate well. Yes. Yeah. She's taking care of his parents, correct? It's the in She said my in laws. I'm guessing this is his parents. Wow. This guy's a joke, and she's

She is two. And she's feeling the murder, but she left. She could have said, Take care of No, yeah. I'm not going. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. They're they both they're messed up. She left knowing he was gonna stay behind. Like, she left Florida I mean, with I was Knowing that he wasn't going somewhere, and now she's upset Yeah. That he hasn't just followed

don't go. You know, here's the deal. I I've had this conversation with a few people lately. And like, people set weird parameters around things like like, the things that they don't put on the table. You know, like, if if you're having trouble with whatever's going, like, you considered here I'm trying to think of best way to put this. Let's say I'm having trouble in

finding a job for my to to support my family. Mhmm. We're a one income one income family. Let's say I'm having trouble supporting my family. Here's what's here's what's still on the table. I'm willing to move to a different city, to a different state, if I have to. Yeah. Like, if if if whatever it takes for me to support my family, if it's not happening right here, I will do whatever I have to do to make sure that they are supported. If I'm having problems with like, there's things that that I have to get away from because of where we live, I will move. If I have to quit my job because

I've there's there's things that need to be handled with my children, I will quit my job. We will reduce the house we live in, and we will move somewhere else and do whatever it takes to handle the issues that are important in life. Yeah. And so, like, people just have arbitrary things where they try to squash whatever their circumstance is and say, I will resolve this within the parameters of whatever is currently going on. And the truth is is that it is very possible that that's not gonna work out. And you need to, like, figure out what your main responsibilities are and freaking take care of them. Here's what's not an option. Moving away from my family for months at a time. Yeah. Like, they blame me on board. Yeah. Exactly. And then yeah. That is that is not an option for me. Yeah. I don't understand that. I don't understand those Yeah. And here's actually, my wife and I had this conversation. There was a there was something at work. Like, there's a potential, you know, promotion. It's pretty pretty significant change in pay. But it was gonna require to me I I kinda looked into it and then it said travel

50%. And I thought, nope. Nope. Not even an option. I'm not considering it. I don't care how much money it is. It could be three times the pay. I'm not doing it. There are more important things to my life. I refuse. It's not happening. And so, like, you just gotta people don't value things correctly. Like, when you shift your values around and you make decisions of you you put things in play that shouldn't be in play. And you take things off the table that that should be in play for you to meet the things that are your basic responsibility. Hello, dad. Your responsibility is to be a dad. Now get your butt over there and do it or drag your family back. You figure it out. Yeah. But like, you don't get to spend months away and be like, I kinda like not being a father and husband. You're a liar, friend. And your job is to resolve that Yeah. Before it like and then and then find some friends who should have stepped into your life by now, kicked you in the nuts, and sent you back to where you belong.

Like, it's that makes me mad. And she needs to to to just go back. Mean, she's she's like playing the martyr going to help someone else when Yeah. She's the one who left. Yeah. She's saying she But does not even have a job in Texas. She has nothing holding her back. She needs to go back to her family. It might even be a noble cause Right. Whatever is wrong with his parents. Yeah. Bring parents to It's irrelevant. Yeah. But yeah. Like You can't help everybody.

Right. Right. And you can't Yeah. You can't help them in the wrong way. Like, helping them like, going there to help them when you have otherwise separated your family and and put your kids in a rough spot and then both you and your husband relationship is now in trouble. Like, no, you're help you're trying to help them doing the things in the wrong way and it's not gonna work out. Yeah. You have to do it in the right way. I'm trying to think of this from also from the grandparents perspective. If I'm thinking about my kids, so my child and his his wife are are being separated literally by hundreds of miles. Their family is being torn apart. My grandkids are being affected because I'm in the straight.

I don't care what kind of straights I'm in. I'm gonna get help somewhere else. Go back to my son and redeem like get back with your family. Like your family needs to stay together. Like I and I'm not saying this is the fault of the grandparents. I'm just trying to think of it from their perspective also of like, I just can't imagine saying yeah, sweetheart daughter-in-law

stay with us. Take care of us while my son is being a schmuck in Florida like kind of deal. So, yeah. Alright, let's see what second I have to say. Dear Lonely, how long has this been going on? Three weeks? Three months? Tell your husband that because you can no longer tolerate being separated, you are moving back to Texas.

Be sure to mention that the responsibility of helping his parents should not be yours alone. Your concerns about your baby girl are valid. She should be bonding with both her parents right now, and the separation may make it more difficult for her. Yeah. Okay. Generally, Agree. I agree with that. We got time for more for the break.

Let's see here. Alright. Let's see here. Dear Life at the Bath, the issue of thank you notes comes up often in your column. Oh, no. May I share how I have learned to write them? Please do. When I was young, my mother asked me one day why I was so resistant. I said I hated addressing them and I never knew what to say. It was overwhelming to me.

Wow. Mother taught me some phrases such as, I appreciate your thoughtfulness, and ways to close like, I hope to see you again soon. She gently reminded

me that the sooner I wrote, the easier it would be to express words of gratitude. She also made a deal with me, if I quit complaining and procrastinating, she'd address them for me until I turned 18. What? When

I turned 18, she gave me an address book filled with the addresses of our family and friends, beautiful new stationery, and a book of stamps. In case you're curious, my eighteenth birthday gifts were all acknowledged with thank you notes addressed to me. I'm 22 now and I've never missed a note.

What? Sorry. I thought this person was asking for advice on thank you notes. Well, I'm sorry. I didn't even see the legitimate advice. That's true. Like, it wasn't even it wasn't a full advice that you could react to. It's just they wanted to tell an anecdote. Yeah. Yeah. Fill in some simple phrases here that may or may not apply to the situation.

How it's easy I'm sorry. How publous do you have to be to be like, hey, I know you've answered this question a lot of times. I want your people, like, your entire readership to know my input on the matter. I can do it better at age 22. Now, here's the deal. I I get that that's coming from a group of fellas who run who've decided to fire up a radio program that no one was asking for. I'm here I hear you on that. That being said, like, I think we very much recognize the limited size and scope of our audience as opposed to saying, that's like me writing in, dear Oprah, I I I see you had so and so on your show. I want you to read this letter on the air so that people may benefit from my wisdom. Like, that's what that is. Yeah. Oh, man. Alright. Hey, you're listening to Live From The Path. What's sorry. What's the what did what did the second respond with? Okay. Give me just a second. I I hopped out of it because I didn't think it was actually legit device. So what we're seeing here

Thank you for your You're the second best dear life in the path family. I'm not gonna Out of two guys. Totally agree. I I'm I'm the bottom half. You. Thank you for your charming letter. Your mother was not only a good negotiator, she also taught you a skill that will be valuable as you grow older. Literally, blah blah blah, write letters, have fun. Yeah. It's it's ridiculous. It'll save the world, that advice. Hey, you're listening to Life From The Path. You can catch us during the week at livefromthepath.org. So lessons from today. First of all, join Kickstarter.

It's a hoot, and it's a of fun. Actually, you know what else I love? Fiverr. Fiverr.com. Like like, can I get a Fiverr? Yeah. You can buy a lot of stuff for $5. Oh, sweet. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, two things that you should explore in the net this week.

Also, don't you're pompous and want everyone to know what you're thinking, like, that's a good sign that you should keep your mouth shut. I and and frankly, they have if they haven't said already, your family's likely sick you. Please be careful with yourself. If you have 11 reasons that you've fled religion, make sure that you don't you're not running from Jesus. Here's the deal. It's it's a mistake. I I almost said the phrase give Jesus a shot, he's given you a shot. So I let's let's at least handle that correctly. That's what you're listed for. But but,

yeah, I'm trying to think the right way to address this to you. I I get it. I get what religion does to people, and I get how people misunderstand the words of Jesus. Like, we don't know how to the weight of them is so substantial that we don't digest them correctly. We take in bits and pieces and we run with them and beat people over the face on them. And I get that. But that doesn't change who Jesus is, what he did, and what what the possibility is for your life in him. So if that's kinda your deal, I

yeah. Check out Jesus, and then we can we can tussle about the church later on. Alright. We got we're gonna take a quick break if you're on the Truth Network ninety nine point three FM. And if you're on the podcast, we'll be right back with you. Thank you for listening to Life of the Path. I really do like that kickstarter. I can't try was trying to think I thought there was another another band or two that we've had in here that did a kickstarter.

It's not coming to me though. There's some cool stuff though. There's some cool stuff that you can be part of with that that crowdsort stuff is is it's pretty neat. It's kinda the deal like you get like certain levels, you get like a gift or something? Yeah. Is that kind of how that works? Yeah. Like if you give them if you give them $10. So like the unseen patrol stuff, if you do actually I think they sent me something on that.

If you've been given, like, $10, I think you get, like, a free download of a tune that they currently have. And then, once the album comes out, they'll send you a digital copy the album. $10. If you do, let's see what else we got. $50 or more, There's like a merch package. You get an immediate download of a single, a digital download of the album one week before the album releases,

plus sneak peeks and stuff, plus a physical CD signed that they're gonna ship to you, plus your name in the credits of the album booklet, a wristband, a guitar pick, some sunglasses, and a CD of their previous album. $50. That's kinda cool. $50, man. Phone call package. Holy cats. I a big enough ego. Think I want my name in the CD. I do. Special thanks to Dan.

Made this possible. You're very welcome. Folk band package for a grand. Band will perform a stripped down, like, version of the album at your place. Full show for a thousand dollars. Really? What? Yeah. I mean, here's the deal. Like, you know, they've That sounds kind of intriguing. They've got they have a lot of money to raise.

Recording a CD is not cheap. Yeah. Distributing it's not cheap. Like, that stuff's expensive, especially if you do it right. There's a lot of crappy music available in which some guy spent $75 in a basement over the course of three weeks, didn't get the thing mastered, didn't record the stuff well, used junky instruments to do it, and it's not worth buying. That's the truth. And so it costs a lot of money to do something right. You gotta appreciate guys are putting the right amount of money into it. So, like, if I've seen bands do a Kickstarter for $2,000, I won't give to that because I feel like your standards aren't right, fellas. You're gonna have to raise some money. So but anyway, this is this is Unseen Patrol. If you go to kickstarter.com and and do a search for Unseen Patrol, you can find those guys. Help them out. It it's just cool to be part of those things. And actually, it it kinda it it it shrinks your world a little bit. It gives you the ability to participate in things that people are doing in ways that you can afford. You can do it in small chunks, whatever it is that makes sense for you. And and there's a lot of cool rewards. Some they do some really unique things. I think what was Jess Anderson was given they gave away a skateboard, I think, that was signed by her. I just do some cool Yeah.

So anyway, get on board with that stuff. Alright. Buva, what do you got? Well, first off, it's gonna cost me $75 to produce Buva Plays the Kazoo, I'm and kind of excited to produce that album, and I'll let you guys know how it goes. Okay. Right. Dear live from the path. May I have some advice about a touchy subject?

One of my boyfriend's close friends is going through his third bout with cancer, and the prognosis is not good. He is married with a healthy three year old son. So imagine our surprise when his wife announced she's pregnant. This is a decision we do not support. I don't know what they're thinking, but if you are facing the reality that your spouse will not be around much longer, we don't feel it is wise to bring another child into the world who will never know his or her father. Some of her close friends want to throw her a sprinkle,

and although I am only an acquaintance, I have been invited. How do I handle this? Should I attend and keep my thoughts to myself, Decline and or send a small gift in my absence? I have a hard time making small talk about subjects I don't agree with. Did I mention she does nothing but complain about how hard her life is now? I'm afraid if I go and get involved, I'll be on the hook down the road when she wants to complain about how hard it is to raise two children alone.

Wow. So so she is wondering if it's okay to tell a mother that she should go ahead and murder her child because she doesn't think she should have the child? Sounds like it.

Yeah. This is pretty easy. I feel like you should, not go because you're an unhealthy influence to everybody at the place. Or in existence. I'm concerned about what you might pick out for a small gift. Some you could just bypass that and maybe just as a as a quaint and say, I'm not healthy for your life. I'm bowing out. Yeah. Yeah. That seems like a good life. Also, if if if, I don't know, Providence has any movement in the world, you'll lose your Internet connection and probably your phone so that you can't inappropriately

influence other people in their way of thinking. That's a terrible reaction there too. Yeah, that's an awful reaction. I I don't really think she has a very good left arm. I think we should go ahead and cut that off too because she's offended me just by the fact that she probably uses to flip people off. -No doubt. -No doubt. And I'm a That's harsh and awful. Matter of fact, we should go ahead and take all of her children out and just slaughter them because -That's terrible. Things aren't gonna work out. We should just, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. I mean, their mom's obviously rude and and opinionated and and wants to murder other people's children. Yeah. That's messed up. And who wants to deal with the burden?

We should kill her too. Yeah. Yeah. Because she'll just be all messed And she's just gonna whine about it later on. Wow. Yeah. It seems like the answer is What a heartless person. Yeah. Heartless. I did not expect that to go that deep. Alright. Dear isn't. So the person's name isn't my choice. Dear isn't. Feeling as you do, decline the invitation. This woman needs friends around her during this painful and traumatic time and you do not qualify.

Oh, right, honks. Oh, buddy. Even secular can figure that out. To send a small gift this is where we differ. To send a small gift would be both thoughtful and kind because I'm sure her life is extremely difficult now. Here's a package of razor blades in case you don't like the Exactly. As

to this That's couple gross, Dan. Yeah, like myself. As to this couple having made a decision with which you do not agree, allow me to point out that not all pregnancies are planned, and this made me one of them. It's a real Every pregnancy is planned. As to the couple having made the decision but you do not agree, let me point out you're an awful person and are not in any way close to a friend here. And can I speak to your boyfriend? He should no longer be known as such. Man. Wow. That was harsh. So sorry that your husband's gonna die. Can we kill your child too?

Yeah. And stop whining about it. Man. All you do is complain. Can't you see the bright side? Life is a vapor. What? Oh, buddy.

Yeah. I don't I don't know how I I was trying to think through, like, legitimately if this person is sitting in front of me. How do I handle this in a Christ like way? Because that is difficult.

Because that is that well okay. Here's the deal. Actually alright. Two seconds of of reflection. I feel bad for this woman. Yeah. Like, she obviously she sees life in a very dark way. To have that type of reaction to someone that is that is a it's not a healthy reaction. Like, here's the deal. I I'm willing to accept.

And I won't even give you better than for doubt that you're coming from a science issue and you're not just heartless. That like, you say this is not this is not a life. Okay. Fine. That even coming for even if that's the perspective you're coming from, that reaction is ridiculous. Yeah. That's an outrageous reaction to have. It it it completely eliminates any type of emotional connection to life. Like, it's just a heartless way of thinking. And so there's there's something unhealthy about the way this woman sees the world, something unhealthy about how she understands

her her life in relation to the lives of other people. And so I'm gonna have to say that that's rooted in something. And and I'm very sad for her. And and yeah.

That that makes me sad for her. And if I can get past angry because she's heartless, that stuff comes from somewhere. And that's a sad life that she lives and I feel bad for her. Okay. Hopefully I have that thought before I start speaking. Alright. Go. One more. Yeah, one more. Dear Loud from the Path. For the past year and a half, I have worked a full time and a part time job while attending school. Wow. I recently graduated from college and now have a career that's put me into a better financial position.

My problem is, I'm still working my part time job. My boyfriend, Jared, and I get into arguments over whether or not I should keep it. I enjoy the extra cash, but I'm starting to feel like life is passing me by because I'm working seven days a week, usually ten hours a day. I'm exhausted, but Jared doesn't want me to quit. Jared doesn't seem to understand that I feel left out when I work this much.

I don't have time to see my family or visit friends, something I feel he takes for granted. Should I keep this job and keep Jared happy or stand my ground and live my life live life my way? Wait. Wait a minute. I don't understand. Exhausted in Iowa. I I'm I'm confused by the premise. Didn't she say that it sounded like he was wanting her to quit at the beginning. What did what did I misunderstand about that part? My Let's see here problem is I'm still working my part time job. My boyfriend Jared and I get into arguments over whether or not I should keep it. That's the only mention of Jared. And then it goes straight into Jared wants me Jared doesn't want me to quit, so I don't know where you guys getting at. Oh, I I don't know. Maybe just the way that was worded made me seem like he was trying to get me Yeah. That's what I thought at first too was that he was the one trying to get her to quit and she wanted keep it. Okay. So you know that's where we're getting it from with your passive. I don't know where you guys are getting at. That's ridiculous. I had to reread You guys are crazy. But that's what I was thinking. Leave me alone. Alright. Okay. So so here yeah. Here's the deal. I and he that guy's not married to you.

He has no right to tell you whether you're gonna what he's re and he's re he sounds ridiculous. I don't even know any more details about him. I want you working ten hours a day, seven days a week. No. He's the guy that stayed home and sent his wife to to somewhere Maybe you should go with the kids and live in Texas and take care of my parents and work a part time job and a full time job. I really love having a girlfriend when I don't have to be around her at all and she doesn't interfere with my life because she's bringing home the bacon. You're basically here so I of Yeah, no. Yeah, quit you wanna quit your job? One of your jobs, quit it. I I don't yeah, quit it. -All right. -And maybe find a new boyfriend.

What are thoughts, Dan? Yeah, I agree with you. You know, she's she's worked really hard. She is to be commended for that. It's time to go into a new phase of life, you know,

enjoy life a little bit. I mean, you can get rid of one of the jobs. The part time jobs can go. Absolutely. Or maybe maybe the right solution, if you wanna keep working the job, is the is to break up with Jared, then maybe that frees up some of your time. That's true. And then you can just keep working the job if you want. There you go. I think that's fine. Alright. Secular. Dear Exhausted, at the rate you're going, Jared will work you into a state of collapse. I can understand his not wanting you to quit your part time job if the two of you were saving for something special. Because you didn't mention that, I'm assuming it isn't the case. In order to have a happy successful life, people need to achieve a balance between work and time to themselves.

If Jared wants the extra income, then my view is that Jared should earn it. Yeah. Yeah. I guess she didn't really detail. Maybe she's taken the high road here by not detailing what he's issue like taking all her money or whatever. Maybe she's paying off her college. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I would generally again, for the same reasons, you don't wanna be you don't wanna be 50 and and like have not spent any of your life actually living. Yeah. But, like, if this guy is the source of the problem, if you're not making your own decisions in that way, then, yeah, I think you need to handle that directly.

Alright. You're listening to Life From Path. Thanks for hanging out with us. Yeah. Catch the wink at life from the path dot org. If you have any questions, concerns, problems with the show, send us an email, [email protected]. We'll be glad to respond. Here's the deal. I've responded every email I've ever gotten. If it came from someone who wasn't trying to sell me anything. So if you got questions, you just wanna yell at us for a little bit, I think that's alright. I'll I'll at least know that I'll read it, and I'll definitely respond to it. Other than that, we'll see you next week. Thank you for listening to Fire From The Pack.